UVALDE, Texas – Diana Olvedo-Karau is one of a few write-in candidates for the Uvalde County Precinct 2 commissioner race and is a self-described activist.
She found her voice after surviving domestic violence and returned to her hometown of Uvalde.
“I found my voice, and I’ve not stopped using it ever since,” Olvedo-Karau told KSAT.
Olvedo-Karau said the deadly Robb Elementary shooting on May 24 was eye-opening for her.
“That horrible tragedy and the response of our elected leaders, our appointed leaders, there was just no doubt in my mind that I had to become involved,” she said.
Since then, Olvedo-Karau has been at nearly every Uvalde City Council and Uvalde CISD school board meeting, fighting alongside the 21 victims’ families for justice and accountability.
“Mariano Pargas sits in this seat for county commissioner. And I made the decision then and there within a few weeks of that knowledge and decided that I was going to run as a candidate,” Olvedo-Karau said.
Olvedo-Karau said Pargas shouldn’t continue to serve the community because of his failures at Robb Elementary.
Regarding what she wants voters to know about her, the write-in candidate for county commissioner Precinct 2 said she’s focused on positive change.
“I do want them to know that I am unafraid. I’m willing to stand up. I’m willing to challenge,” Olvedo-Karau said.
As a woman and person of color, she hopes to bring a new perspective to county commissioners regardless of what happens on Election Day, Nov. 8.
“I’m still committed to the work that I’m doing. I’m still committed to helping, to be involved, just standing up, to speaking out,” Olvedo-Karau said.
This is the first time Olvedo-Karau has run for office like this. Javier Cazares is also a first-timer and write-in candidate in the political ring running for the same position. Read more here.
A third write-in candidate, Julio Valdez, declined to speak with KSAT. The incumbent, Pargas, did not respond to our requests for an interview.
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